Articles tagged with Whales
Researchers measured pollutants in stranded dolphins and whales to understand their impact on ocean life. The study found high levels of mercury and arsenic in some species, highlighting the need for marine mammal stranding response efforts.
The study revealed the Mediterranean sperm whale's widespread presence in the north-western Mediterranean Sea and identified a possible hotspot for habitat in the Gulf of Lion. Continuous day and night monitoring during winter months suggests different foraging strategies between areas.
Researchers found significantly less microbial diversity and richness in humpback whales' respiratory microbiota during the return leg of their migration, suggesting they were likely in poorer health. This study provides new insights into using airway microbiota as a non-invasive method for monitoring whale health.
Researchers tracked baleen whale movements using passive acoustic recordings, finding four species have changed their distribution patterns in the past decade. The Gulf of Maine is warming faster than other regions, resulting in changes in distribution for five out of six baleen whale species.
A study of beluga whale social behavior reveals that they form complex societies with multiple group types and dynamic membership. Like humans, belugas exhibit a wide range of grouping patterns and have long-term affiliations with unrelated individuals, indicating the importance of kinship in their social structure.
A nearly complete skeleton of an extinct large dolphin found in South Carolina reveals that this species was a top predator in its community. The findings suggest that modern baleen and toothed whales evolved similar features independently, driven by parallel evolution in the same aquatic habitats.
A study of thalattosuchians' inner ear morphology reveals a strikingly compact and reduced bony labyrinth reminiscent of whales. The evolutionary transition from land to water occurred after a prolonged semiaquatic phase, distinct from whales' rapid adaptation.
Researchers from Aarhus University found that boat engines can disturb humpback whales, causing them to change behavior and reducing their resting time. The team recommends a 150 dB noise emission standard to minimize disturbance, ensuring whales receive some peace and quiet.
Researchers found that changes in ocean temperature and krill abundance affect the whales' feeding grounds, with cooler waters providing nutrient-rich areas. Understanding these relationships can help reduce threats to New Zealand blue whales from climate change and human impacts.
A new study suggests that operating with fewer traps and a shorter season in the US lobster fishery may be more profitable for fishermen while also protecting endangered North Atlantic right whales. The research found that Massachusetts fishers have caught more lobster since implementing a three-month fishing closure, while Maine's lob...
Researchers found most southern right whales visiting South Georgia breed in South America, contrary to previous suspicion. This discovery will help track population recovery and inform conservation strategies.
A new study found that humpback whales are at risk of collision with vessels in the Magellan Strait, with some individuals encountering ships up to 18 times per season. The researchers propose speed limits and mandatory observers on commercial vessels to reduce the risk of injury or death.
A study finds that ecotourism has positively transformed people's attitudes towards whale sharks and marine conservation in the Philippines. Locals who work for tour operators report a stronger emotional connection to the species and increased willingness to protect them, leading to more sustainable fishing practices.
Researchers monitor 171 Oregon gray whales using drones and find a compelling relationship between whales' body condition and changing ocean conditions. The study suggests that changes in ocean conditions may be causing skinny whales, with poor upwelling limiting prey availability.
A recent study found that North Atlantic right whales are in poorer body condition than Southern right whales, likely due to vessel strikes, entanglement in fishing gear, and changes in food supply. This decline affects the species' reproduction, growth, and survival.
Research reveals North Atlantic right whales are in poorer body condition than Southern right whales, affecting reproduction and growth rates. The study suggests lethal vessel strikes, entanglement, and food scarcity contribute to their decline.
Researchers found that New Zealand blue whales forage more in areas with dense and shallow krill patches. The study also revealed the importance of drone footage in understanding surface feeding behavior, providing insights into decision-making processes and prey response.
Scientists have correctly determined the age of whale sharks using radioactive legacy of Cold War nuclear bomb tests. The discovery will help ensure the survival of the endangered species by accurately estimating its growth rate.
A Rutgers-led study uses radioactivity from nuclear explosions to estimate whale shark ages, revealing the oldest known individuals at around 50 years old. This research provides crucial information for conservation strategies, as whale sharks are highly susceptible to human impacts such as ship strikes.
Researchers developed a model that can predict the propulsive efficiency of cetacean fins based on shape and kinematics, revealing fundamental interplay between circulatory forces and added mass forces. The findings could influence the design of fast, efficient, and highly maneuverable underwater robots.
Researchers found elevated concentrations of TPT in Chinese white dolphins and finless porpoises, with the highest concentration being five times higher than reported in false killer whales. Biomagnification of TPT compounds has significant implications for local dolphin populations and human health.
Bowhead whales alter their behavior when killer whales are present, opting for areas with dense sea ice and shallow water near shorelines. This shift may come at the cost of reduced foraging opportunities in phytoplankton-rich open water.
A Curtin University-led study found that Ross Sea killer whales, also known as Type C, have a unique call repertoire comprising burst-pulse sounds and whistles to convey information about their environment. The research analyzed data from over 392 encounters with the species.
A study found that gray whales are 4.3 times more likely to strand during solar storms due to radio frequency noise disrupting their navigational sense. Researchers believe the noise overwhelms the whales' senses, preventing them from navigating altogether.
A new study found that gray whales are more likely to strand themselves on days with high sunspot counts, suggesting a disruption to their magnetoreceptive sensor. This suggests that solar storms may cause whales to become disoriented and lose their magnetic sense.
Scientists propose that whales migrate to low latitudes to molt, shedding their skin in a process similar to birds and mammals. This drives their long-distance migrations, which can be thousands of miles round trip, with significant impact on local ecosystems.
Researchers from NIST and Griffith University developed a new test that measures multiple hormones simultaneously, providing a more reliable marker of pregnancy. This technique improves the accuracy of hormone tests, enabling biologists to better understand whale populations and their environmental health.
Researchers analyzed data from 26 beaked whales using sensors that tracked their depths and sounds. The study found that the whales performed closely coordinated deep dives to forage using echolocation while limiting vocalizations at shallow depths to avoid killer whale attacks.
A year-round acoustic study in the northern Bering Sea recorded over 30,000 calls from whales, walruses, and seals, providing valuable insights into climate change's effects on these species. The study supports previous scientific knowledge with a finer-scale resolution, revealing consistent seasonal distribution and movement patterns.
Researchers analyzed genes expressed in bat cochleae to understand the origin and evolution of high-frequency hearing. They identified 34 genes involved in hearing or auditory perception with evidence for positive selection in echolocating species.
A study published in Nature Communications reveals that the 2014-2016 marine heat wave led to a significant increase in humpback whales becoming entangled in fishing gear, averaging 53 confirmed entanglements per year. The shift in whale feeding behavior due to ocean warming caused a greater overlap between whales and crab fishing gear.
A new study found that record-breaking whale entanglements in the Pacific Northwest were triggered by a unique marine heatwave, known as the 'Blob', which altered fish populations and habitats. The research has led to the development of online tools to help fishermen avoid entanglement risks.
Researchers at the Australian Institute of Marine Science found that nearly one-fifth of Ningaloo whale sharks show major scarring or fin amputations. The number of injured animals has increased in recent years, with distinct scar patterns suggesting boat collisions as a primary cause.
Researchers have discovered a key to understanding the evolution of whales by analyzing the range of motion of their joints. By studying this range of motion, scientists can infer the feeding behaviors of extinct cetaceans, providing new insights into their diets and physiologies.
Researchers found that humpback whales use stealth to minimize escape responses of prey, allowing for simultaneous engulfment of up to 60% of anchovies. The study reveals how large filter feeding whales capture highly maneuverable forage fish using a predator-informed looming stimulus.
Researchers at Stanford University found that humpback whales use stealth and deception to capture fish, overcoming limitations in speed and maneuverability by timing their lunges. This innovative feeding strategy allows them to consume a large number of fish per feeding event, making it more energetically efficient than feeding on krill.
Killer whales prefer large, juicy Chinook salmon, leading to their decline due to overconsumption. The study found that resident orcas are likely the main driver behind the decline, as they increasingly target bigger fish.
Larger whales consume more prey and have higher energy efficiency due to their size. Filter-feeding whales, however, exhibit rapid increases in energy from food, potentially driving evolutionary pathways to gigantism.
A team of scientists found that whale body size is limited by the availability of their prey, with filter-feeding whales achieving the largest body sizes due to a high-energy payoff. Toothed whales, on the other hand, are limited by the energy spent chasing large prey in deep-sea environments.
A new species of fossil whale, Aegicetus gehennae, has been discovered, representing an intermediate stage between foot-powered and tail-powered swimming. The creature's body shape is similar to that of ancient whales like Basilosaurus.
The discovery of Aegicetus gehennae sheds light on the transition from foot-powered to tail-powered swimming in whales. The new genus and species is found to be more fully aquatic, with adaptations indicating a transitional stage between early and modern whale locomotion.
A study on killer whales found that grandmothers play a crucial role in improving the survival of their grandoffspring. The research suggests that postreproductive females can better provide care due to not having reproductive pressures, potentially contributing to the long lifespan of killer whales.
Post-menopausal killer whale grandmothers improve the chances of survival for their grand-calves, allowing them to focus time and resources on the latest generation. The study found that these grandmothers played a particularly important role in times of food scarcity, where salmon was scarce.
Researchers are using unique whale vocalizations to track the seasonal movements of North Atlantic killer whales, gaining insights into their behavior and ecology. By characterizing individual pods' calls, scientists can better understand their migration patterns and identify potential factors driving changes in their populations.
This study examines how penguin species in Antarctica respond to changes in krill availability due to human activities and climate change. The analysis of nitrogen stable isotope values reveals that gentoo penguins shift their diet towards fish and squid, while chinstrap penguins remain exclusive to krill.
New research reveals how Antarctic penguins adapted to a century of human impacts, including whaling and climate change. Gentoo penguins thrive on fish and squid, while chinstrap penguins struggle with declining krill populations.
Research reveals that gentoo penguins adapted to a diet of fish and squid, while chinstrap penguins continued to eat krill exclusively, making them more susceptible to climate change impacts. Human activities since the 1930s have led to significant declines in chinstrap penguin populations.
Humpback whales tend to socialize less in the presence of small fishing boats compared to when there are no vessels present. The noise from boats may be masking their signals, making it difficult for them to communicate and join together.
During diving, blue whales exhibit extreme bradycardia, with heart rates as low as 2 beats per minute. This contrasts with their normal resting heart rate of 15 beats per minute, highlighting the circulatory system's adaptability to accommodate deep dives.
Researchers from Stanford University successfully recorded a blue whale's heart rate for the first time using an electronic sensor attached to the whale's flipper. The data suggests that the whale's heart is operating at its limit, which may explain why blue whales have never evolved to be bigger.
Researchers found that right whales were present throughout the year in Massachusetts Bay, with a significant increase in detections during winter-spring months. This shift has implications for conservation efforts, as it suggests that whales are adapting to changing conditions and may be entering areas without protections.
A six-year study of whale shark movement and residency has provided critical insights for conservation efforts. The research found that the aggregation meets the criteria of a shark nursery, shedding light on whale shark behaviors that could inform management strategies.
The discovery of Peregocetus pacificus, an amphibious whale from middle Eocene deposits in Peru, provides evidence of the earliest known quadrupedal whales crossing the South Atlantic from Africa to South America. The fossil specimen reveals webbed feet and terrestrial locomotion abilities, dating back over 40 million years.
Scientists have identified a new subspecies of fin whale in the northern Pacific Ocean using genetic research, highlighting the diversity of marine mammals. The finding reveals that fin whales have been separated for hundreds of thousands of years and can be assigned to their ocean of origin using genetic data.
A new study estimates that the western South Atlantic humpback whale population has grown to 25,000, recovering more quickly than previously thought. The population was depleted to only 450 whales in the early 1900s due to intense whaling pressure.
Researchers develop method to count whales from space, revolutionizing stranding detection in remote areas. The technique provides early insight into whale mortality, enabling rapid response and conservation efforts.
University of Hawaii researchers have captured a groundbreaking video of humpback whales using bubble nets, providing new insights into the fine-scale details of this behavior. The study is part of a larger project investigating causes of a possible decline in humpback whale numbers.
Researchers found that North Atlantic right whale mothers significantly reduce their vocalizations when communicating with their calves, using a quiet, short sound instead of the typical loud 'up call'. This behavior, called acoustic crypsis, helps avoid attracting orcas and sharks, key predators of young whales.
Researchers studied whether mother-calf pairs change their vocalizations to evade predators. The study found that mothers produce a soft, short grunt-like sound to stay in touch with their calves without alerting potential threats. This acoustic communication helps reduce the risk of predation for young calves.
Researchers used drones to take aerial photos of southern right whales, allowing them to calculate body volume and mass without weighing live whales. This innovative method enables new avenues of research into whale physiology and ecology.